Marty Gordon
The Blacksburg High School girls’ track knew they trailed the top team in the Class 4 track meet this past weekend. A third-place finish in the final event of the day, 4X400 meter relay, meant the Lady Bruins would win the state title by a 3/4th point.
The crowd was on edge at the Liberty University track as the relay team began the last race. Blacksburg would tally 74 points to second place Atlee’s 73.5 and third place Manor’s 52.
Layla Boyle won the pole vault, and Kionna Grubb took an individual title in the 300 hurdles. Mia Littlejohn was a multi-winner with second in the high jump and third in the 100 hurdles. The Lady Bruins also finished second in the 4X800 relay.
Grubb recorded a photo finish in the 300 hurdles, narrowing beating her opponent at the line.
But it was the relay of Mirra Bowman, Tess Dickhans, Allie McDonald and Cameron Lee, who saved their best for the end.
Over in Class 3, Christiansburg’s Donovan Richardson carried the school’s lone flag in the finals with fourth place in the boys’ triple jump with a mark of 45-07.
Auburn’s boys would finish fourth in Class 1, while the girls’ squad was third on their side of the track.
Auburn’s Kasey Rosenbaum would take second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 for the Lady Eagles, while teammate Megan Earnest finished third in the high jump.
Auburn’s fourth place finish (49 points) comes behind first-place Lancaster’s 87.5 and second place Parry McCluer’s 67 points.
The Auburn girls would tally 54 points to barely be out of second with Northhampton with 57 points. Brunswick took the team competition with 84 points.
In Class 2, Radford’s Javier Wade took third in the 200 meters.
